Tag Archives: Pound Ridge NY Homes

Pound Ridge NY Homes

New York sees rise in real estate fakers | Pound Ridge Real Estate

The number of scammers posing as real estate agents is on the rise, prompting the New York State Division of Consumer Protection to issue a warning to apartment hunters.

Since January, the state agency has received 211 complaints from people, mostly immigrants or young people new to the state, conned out of cash by a fake rental agent, 121 of them in New York City, Real Estate Weekly reported.

And consumers are not the only ones getting duped. Clients with fake identities are not unheard of either, the news outlet said.

New York City-based independent broker Kathy Matson advised that the best way to do business, no matter which side of the deal you’re on, is through referrals.

Source: Real Estate Weekly

– See more at: http://www.inman.com/wire/new-york-sees-rise-in-real-estate-fakers/#sthash.MBq9TdOB.dpuf

 

 

New York sees rise in real estate fakers | Inman News.

Inside Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen’s ‘French Chateau via the Pacific Coast Highway’ | Pound Ridge Real Estate

house-front.jpgPhoto by Roger Davies/Architectural Digest

When you’re really rich and beautiful and build a much-whispered-about 14,000-square-foot acid-washed limestone mansion from scratch, there’s no better place for a big reveal than the glossy pages of Architectural Digest. Despite an early slipup by the builder, who released photos of the project prematurely, the magazine continued apace and published New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel Gisele Bündchen’s  new “French chateau via the Pacific Coast Highway” in its October issue.

The story, which dropped online this morning after editor in chief Margaret Russell made a Today Show appearance, makes clear that it’s actually “normal” home. None of those “lavish pleasure dome replete with sultry sirens and gridiron gods cavorting around the pool” nor “sprawling palace staffed with a battalion of liveried footmen proffering protein shakes on silver trays,” writes Mayer Rus. Rather, there’s just the regular plebeian driveway that “leads over a pond to a motor court paved in reclaimed cobblestones and then to a stone bridge spanning a koi-stocked moat that’s picturesque but not pompous”; an unassuming pool “laid out with two straight sides and one long, sinuous edge that helps give the impression of a nautral lake, particularly in the early-morning and late-afternoon light”; and just your average “custom-made wrought iron monkey bars” in the gym. Bündchen sums it up: “I want to live in a place that feels like a real home, where you can put your feet up on the couch and just relax.”

It was important for the Bündchen, whom interior designer Joan Behnke describes as an “earth mother”—”she’s drawn to certain things because of the energy they give off”—that the home incorporate as many reclaimed materials as possible, from the decking and floorboards to the tiles, bricks, doors, and marble fireplace surrounds. Well we have great post to read about choosing best decking supplier. In addition, composting, gray-water technology, solar panels, and eco-friendly construction materials were all factored into the overall design, which was completed by architect Richard Landry. (Brady tells Rus that he’s “all about team dynamics and putting the right people together,” presumably while huddling.) The neutral interiors are filled with pieces from RH and Christian Liaigre, Loro Piana fabrics, Tai Ping carpets, custom pieces, and, of course, a black-and-white photo of Gillette Stadium hanging over the fireplace in the master bath. Check it out below—and head to Racked National for a look at Bundchen’s utterly insane closet.

http://curbed.com/archives/2013/09/04

What $3,300/Month Can Rent You Around New York City | Pound Ridge Real Estate

Welcome back to Curbed Comparisons, a column that explores what one can rent for a set dollar amount in various New York City neighborhoods. Is one man’s studio another man’s townhouse? Let’s find out! Today’s price: $3,300/month.

↑ In Park Slope, a 1,050-square-foot full-floor apartment is available for $3,300/month. The unit is divided into a living room, a bedroom, an office, a dressing room, and there appear to be a number of closets. The kitchen is not pictured, but presumably exists since there’s a dishwasher. Charming original details abound.

↑ On the Lower East Side, a 2BR + office with a windowed kitchen (the window appears to face a wall, but still) is going for $3,200/month. One of the bedrooms looks like it gets a lot of light.

↑ This renovated 1BR in the West Village is asking $3,200/month. It features french doors and a fireplace (unclear if it’s usable or not).

↑ In Astoria, a 1,000-square-foot 2BR/2BA in a luxury building is going for $3,200/month. It includes a privat 600-square-foot terrace and the building has a shared roof deck and a gym with a jacuzzi.

 

 

 

 

http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2013/09/06/what_3300month_can_rent_you_around_new_york_city.php

Greenwich Teardown Trend Resumes in Earnest | Pound Ridge Homes

18 Lexington Ave. in April 2012 and Aug. 2013 as two condominiums. Credit: Leslie Yager

18 Lexington Ave. in April 2012 and Aug. 2013 as two condominiums. Credit: Leslie Yager
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  • 18 Lexington Ave. in April 2012 and Aug. 2013 as two condominiums. Credit: Leslie Yager
  • 13 Lexington Ave. in Dec. 2012 and Aug. 2013. Credit: Leslie Yager
  • 19 Connecticut Ave. was bought by a builder for $716,000 and renovated instead of demolished. In April 2013 it sold for $1.625. Credit: Leslie Yager
  • 18 Lexington is rented out for $10k/month for Unit A and $10,500/month for unit B. Credit: Leslie Yager
  • 137 Milbank in central Greenwich sold in 2010 for $1.175 and the new construction sold for $3.385 in Sept. 2012. Credit: Leslie Yager
  • 46 Connecticut Ave., on Sept. 2, 2013. Its days are numbered. Credit: Leslie Yager
  • Before and after photos of 34 Lincoln Ave. in central Greenwich. Credit: Leslie Yager

Mortgage originations defy interest rate hikes | Pound Ridge Real Estate

Mortgage originations rose 12.7 percent year over year and dipped a slight 1.5 percent month to month in June, indicating stability despite increases in interest rates, according to a monthly report from Lender Processing Services.

Through June, originations had their strongest 12-month period since 2007, to 784,000, LPS said.

Prepayment activity, which is historically a good indicator of mortgage refinances, is still largely driving origination volume, the company said.

“Prepayment speeds have been impacted by the sharp increase in mortgage interest rates we’ve seen over the last couple months. However, even with that increasing interest rate pressure, July’s monthly prepayment rates are still about where they were this time last year, when rates were at historic lows,” said LPS Data & Analytics Senior Vice President Herb Blecher in a statement.

“In fact, they are roughly at the same levels as the heights of the ‘mini refinance booms’ in 2010 — when interest rates were comparable to where they are today — and in 2009, when rates were even higher.

“Of course, as interest rates continue to climb, we can expect that both prepayments and associated originations will decline.”

– See more at: http://www.inman.com/wire/mortgage-originations-defy-interest-rate-hikes/#sthash.3Gj9SiEH.dpuf

Homes Appreciate Over 6 Percent for First Time in 7 Years | Pound Ridge Real Estate

July national home value appreciation rose again in July, up 0.4 percent from June to $161,600, reaching  6 percent year-over-year,  the first time year-over-year appreciation rates have reached 6 percent since 2006.

Monthly home values have risen in 20 of the past 21 months, beginning in November 2011 after the U.S. market bottomed in October of that year. The 6 percent national rate of annual appreciation is the highest since August 2006, according to Zillow.

Of the 393 metros covered in July, 289 (73.5 percent) registered month-over-month appreciation, and 303 (77.1 percent) showed annual appreciation. All 30 of the largest metro areas covered by Zillow registered both monthly and annual appreciation in July, and all have hit their bottom and are expected to show appreciation in the next 12 months. Metros with the largest annual gains in July included Sacramento (33.1 percent), Las Vegas (30.8 percent) and San Francisco (27.8 percent).

For the 12-month period from July 2013 to July 2014, U.S. home values are expected to rise another 4.8 percent to approximately $169,308, according to the Zillow Home Value Forecast. Large metro areas expected to show the most appreciation over the next year include Sacramento (19.6 percent), Riverside (19.2 percent) and San Francisco (13.2 percent).

“After three straight months of annual home value appreciation above 5 percent, the U.S. housing market recovery has proven it is on very sound footing. We have entered a new phase in the recovery when we can begin to turn away from ugly recent history and turn toward what the housing market of the future will look like and how it will act. The time to have these discussions is now, and recent efforts by President Obama and both parties in the House and Senate to begin addressing still-lingering structural issues related to housing finance are very encouraging,” said Zillow Chief Economist Dr. Stan Humphries.

“It may be tempting to look at how the market is currently performing and think that tackling GSE reform and other large issues is no longer necessary. But while we can afford to turn away from the recent past, we cannot afford to forget it, and simply ignoring these problems only dooms us to repeat them. How we handle these all-important policy debates will be critical in keeping the housing market on sound footing for years to come,” he said.

National rents also rose in July compared with June, up 0.5 percent to a Zillow Rent Index[iv] of $1,287. Year-over-year, national rents were up 1.7 percent in July.

The number of completed foreclosures in July fell to 4.9 homes foreclosed out of every 10,000 homes nationwide, down from 5.2 homes in June. Foreclosure resales represented 8.7 percent of homes sold in the U.S. in July, down 0.7 percentage points from June and 3.4 percentage points from July 2012.

Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI)

Zillow Rent Index (ZRI)

Metropolitan AreasJuly 2013 ZHVIMonth-Month % ChangeYear-Year % ChangeJuly 2013 ZRIMonth-Month % ChangeYear-Year % Change
United States$161,6000.4%6.0%$1,2870.5%1.7%
New York, NY$349,7000.5%2.2%

Los Angeles, CA$475,6002.0%21.5%$2,3080.3%1.2%
Chicago, IL$167,4001.5%2.9%$1,5350.5%0.7%
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX$136,7001.1%7.1%$1,3450.2%3.0%
Philadelphia, PA$190,3000.5%1.8%$1,5000.4%0.4%
Washington, DC$339,4001.1%8.2%$2,0820.2%1.3%
Miami-Fort Lauderdale,   FL$167,8001.8%13.5%$1,6480.8%3.5%
Atlanta, GA$123,9002.2%10.1%$1,1330.1%0.6%
Boston, MA$338,0001.4%8.4%$1,9970.3%4.0%
San Francisco, CA$628,2002.6%27.8%$2,5490.0%2.7%
Detroit, MI$91,6001.6%16.5%$1,0361.8%1.1%
Riverside, CA$234,3003.5%27.3%$1,5840.3%2.6%
Phoenix, AZ$179,4002.5%22.2%$1,147-0.3%0.0%
Seattle, WA$302,6002.3%15.3%$1,6600.3%3.2%
Minneapolis-St Paul,   MN$191,8001.2%12.5%$1,4580.1%1.4%
San Diego, CA$428,9002.1%23.1%$2,1430.3%3.0%
St. Louis, MO$128,9000.2%1.4%$1,0800.7%-1.7%
Tampa, FL$125,0002.4%12.8%$1,2050.3%2.8%
Baltimore, MD$230,3001.2%5.7%$1,6770.3%0.3%
Denver, CO$245,1001.6%13.4%$1,5640.4%5.0%
Pittsburgh, PA$113,4000.8%2.8%$992-2.1%-5.2%
Portland, OR$253,7001.8%14.9%$1,4270.3%3.6%
Sacramento, CA$274,6002.9%33.1%$1,4620.4%-0.3%
Orlando, FL$139,7001.6%15.1%$1,2420.2%3.5%
Cincinnati, OH$126,8000.9%2.3%$1,1320.2%10.4%
Cleveland, OH$116,1001.0%4.6%$1,1070.2%2.9%
Las Vegas, NV$151,6002.5%30.8%$1,1550.2%0.3%
San Jose, CA$735,7002.2%25.1%$2,6690.6%3.5%
Columbus, OH$132,2000.9%5.6%$1,1820.4%2.1%
Charlotte, NC$138,0000.8%2.8%$1,146-0.1%1.0

Rustic Lakefront Living in Northern California for $29M | Pound Ridge Real Estate

Location: South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Price: $29,000,000
The Skinny: Despite an address in the town of South Lake Tahoe, this 77-acre wooded property actually fronts on the much smaller Fallen Leaf Lake, a pristine glacial lake that lies a mile south of Lake Tahoe. Equipped only with a rustic cabin that dates to the 1920s, the property has been listed for a whopping $29M. Of course, one would expect that a buyer with eight-figure budget will build a monstrosity on the property—like the nearby Lake Tahoe estate that once wanted $100M—but the pristine land has been subdivided into three lots, meaning developers may take interest too. Those rich folks just looking for a little peace and quiet would also be satisfied with this lakeside retreat. According to the listing, the nearest neighbor is nearly a mile away.

 

 

Rustic Lakefront Living in Northern California for $29M – House of the Day – Curbed National.

Oyster Festival Returns To Norwalk This Weekend | Pound Ridge Real Estate

The 36th annual Norwalk Seaport Association Oyster Festival will return Friday through Sunday, complete with the always-popular Oyster Slurping and Oyster Shucking contests.

The festival will again offer a wide range of activities for the whole family, including an Arts & Crafts Pavilion, the Kids Cove, with rides, games and child-centered entertainment, and a food court with everything from Italian to seafood. New this year for the adults is the Craft Beer Tasting Tent with more than 25 beers to sample and brewers to meet.

The festival also features entertainment by local musicians and national acts. On Friday, Max Creek brings its unique blend of rock, country, reggae, soul, and calypso.

Fans who missed Village People last year due to bad weather can catch them on Saturday night. Sunday’s headliner will be The Zoo, winner of MTV’s Ultimate Cover Band contest.

Returning this year is the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show featuring logrolling, ax throwing, tree climbing, dragster chain sawing and more. Joining them on the schedule is Eastern Action Sports Team providing visitors with BMX shows. The Arts and Crafts Pavilion hosts dozens of artists and crafters displaying a wide range of creative and practical items.

Taste-test some of the Festival’s culinary offerings such as barbecue, oysters, mussels and clams, and other food selections available at the Food Court. Food is prepared by dozens of local nonprofit organizations allowing them to raise funds for their charitable causes.

The event is held at Veterans Memorial Park, adjacent to Norwalk Harbor on Seaview Avenue in Norwalk. Admission for adults is $10 on Friday, $12 on Saturday and Sunday.

Children 5 to 12 years old are $5. U.S. military personnel on active duty are free. All entertainment is included in ticket prices. Tickets can be purchased online at the Norwalk Seaport Association’s website.

The annual festival supports the Norwalk Seaport Association, which has owned, restored and maintained the Sheffield Island Lighthouse since 1986. It is the official U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Friends group for the Norwalk Islands.

 

 

Oyster Festival Returns To Norwalk This Weekend | The Greenwich Daily Voice.

Protecting our planet is an issue that resonates with a lot of people | Pound Ridge Real Estate

Melissa Seipel, HR Manager of Global Operations, replies:

Thank you so much for your interest in a career in conservation! You don’t mention your previous work experience or professional background, but we have over 3300 staff working in fifty states and thirty five countries in a wide variety of roles. While our science and conservation staff are critical to our mission, we couldn’t do it without the contributions of men and women in fields such as marketing, finance, legal, administrative and operations, information science, fundraising, human resources — and the list goes on! At our beautiful Pine Butte guest ranch in Montana, we also hire seasonal cooks and housekeepers. We post new positions often on www.nature.org/careers and you can create a “Job Search Agent” in the locations where you would like to work and receive and email you the moment that new jobs are posted. All positions list the “basic qualifications” required and while many do require four year or advanced degrees, a large number do not. We also depend heavily on the contributions of our volunteers. Volunteering is also a great way to get to know staff in the offices and learn about what potential needs they may have in the future. If you find that the positions you are most interested in do require degrees, you may also want to explore the many evening and online degree programs available geared towards working adults, many with financial aid available. It’s never too late to pursue your dreams!

 

 

read more…

 

http://www.nature.org/ourscience/sciencefeatures/ask-the-conservationist-september-2013.xml?src=e.gp

 

Before Bryant Park, There Was NYC’s Doomed First Skyscraper | Pound Ridge Real Estate

19 images

This little-known piece of old New York was the city’s very first skyscraper. Exactly 160 years ago this summer, the so-called Crystal Palace opened to awed crowds. Its footprint took up nearly one square block on Sixth Avenue between 42nd and 41st Streets, with a cross-shaped floorplan and a central dome that soared so gracefully it seemed it were destined for a Parisian train station rather than a temporary exhibition space. An octagonal tower built at the side of the main hall, called the Latting Observatory, was somewhere between 300 and 315 feet tall, depending on who you asked, unseating the previous record-holder, Trinity Church, whose spire reached a mere 290. It was inaugurated on July 14, 1853, with President Franklin Pierce presiding and an abundance of fireworks and general pizzazz. Inspired by a structure in London, New York would not be outdid. According to the Times, “for a time, no visitor to New York or from neighboring cities or suburban districts considered his life complete without a visit.” In a manner of speaking, it symbolized the irrepressible antebellum feeling of American exceptionalism. “It was a thing to be seen once in a lifetime,” wrote Horace Greeley, “As we grow in wealth and strength, we may build a much greater Crystal Palace.”

  • The whole thing was the work of an ambitious engineer, Christan Detmold, with knowledge of the vagaries of iron and glass and how to weld them together to make something majestic.

 

 

 

read more…

http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2013/08/22/before_bryant_park_there_was_nycs_doomed_first_skyscraper.php